Story and photos by Walt Johnson

Mountaineer staff

FORT CARSON, Colo. — The renovation work at the Outdoor Recreation Complex is a little more than halfway complete but the results can already be seen as a positive sign for the Fort Carson community.

With about 60 percent of the work having been completed, Erina Patrick, manager, outdoor recreation center, said the project is moving slightly ahead of schedule, and she’s very happy with the results of the renovation efforts to this point. Patrick said the work her staff is doing and the support she has gotten from other Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation offices have been a great help in seeing the project move smoothly.

“One of the things that has been a big help to us during the renovation is anytime we needed extra help, Rick Garcia and Lorraine Thorson at the Iron Horse (Sports and Fitness center) have been able to send us some of their workers to help us get the renovation project up and running,” Patrick said. “The help they have given us has been beyond anything we could have hoped for but certainly something we could not have done without.”

Patrick said there have been a number of challenges during the renovation process. From coordinating with the painting and floor contractors, to people who are working on the structure of the building. They have had to put a lot of things together to make it work. A big part of getting the renovation project moving was getting the flooring done. That has allowed the outdoor recreation team and contractors to move at a much faster pace working on the outdoor and indoor aspects of the project.

She emphasized how proud she was of her staff to maintain customer service levels equal to before the renovation process, even though they must work around the project. She said her staff not only adjusted to the renovation-related issues but has also been able to handle the new operating hours with little to no impact on the customers.

“One of the things that we are proud of is that we have actually been operating at 100 percent while the renovation has been going on,” Patrick said. “Obviously, that presents some unique challenges, but my staff has been able to overcome those challenges and make sure that we are still taking care of the Fort Carson community at the same time we’re improving the building and improving the services that we can offer them.”